KUALA PILAH, Dec 7 — Efforts to strengthen the Information Department (JaPen) nationwide will continue to be implemented with allocations from the recently announced Budget 2020.

Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Eddin Syazlee Shith said the provisions were very much needed to enable the department to operate efficiently and safely.

“We admit that most of the equipment used are already outdated and we lack personnel in the field.

“We need to have more information officers to act as liaisons as they are the government’s mouthpiece in addressing issues that could jeopardise national security and security.

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As such for the Information Department to carry out its responsibilities, we must ensure that the offices, equipment and staff are sufficient and everything is in proper order,” he told reporters after a mass circumcision programme at Masjid Jamek Yamtuan Raden here today.

Also present were Kuala Pilah district officer Syahrul Nizam Saleh and the district’s Islamic religious officer Mohd Raizalani Mohd Rais.

Seventy children between the ages of three and 12 who participated in the programme each received gifts in the form of food items and a copy of the Quran. Eddin Syazlee also donated RM7,000 towards the programme.

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The programme was organised by the Jamek Yamtuan Raden Mosque, Kuala Pilah District Islamic Religious Office in collaboration with the Kuala Pilah parliamentary office, Fire and Rescue Station and the Syed Sirajuddin Military Hospital, Gemas. — Bernama